Ternstroemia plant named ‘HOHB’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Ternstroemia  plant named ‘HOHB’, characterized by its compact, upright and outwardly spreading plant form; uniformly mounded habit; dense and bushy plant habit; vigorous growth habit; leaves that are initially bright yellow in the spring, becoming golden bronze in the summer and green highlighted with yellow in the late autumn and winter; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Ternstroemia gymnanthera.

Cultivar denomination: ‘HOHB’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Ternstroemia, botanically known as Ternstroemia gymnanthera and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘HOHB’.

The new Ternstroemia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Seneca, S.C. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Ternstroemia cultivars with attractive plant form and leaf coloration.

The new Ternstroemia originated from a self-pollination made by the Inventors in 1997, in Seneca, S.C. of an unnamed selection of Ternstroemia gymnanthera, not patented. The new Ternstroemia was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single plant from within the progeny of the stated self-pollination in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Seneca, S.C. in 1998.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by semi-hardwood and hardwood stem cuttings in Seneca, S.C. since November, 2000 has shown that the unique features of this new Ternstroemia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Ternstroemia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and/or light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype. The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘HOHB’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘HOHB’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Ternstroemia:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and outwardly spreading plant form;         uniformly mounded habit.     -   2. Dense and bushy plant habit.     -   3. Vigorous growth habit.     -   4. Leaves that are initially bright yellow in the spring,         becoming golden bronze in the summer and green highlighted with         yellow in the late autumn and winter.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Ternstroemia can be compared to plants of the parent selection. Plants of the new Ternstroemia differ from plants of the parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Ternstroemia are more compact than and not         as vigorous as plants of the parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Ternstroemia are denser than and not as         open as plants of the parent selection.     -   3. During the spring and summer, plants of the new Ternstroemia         have bright yellow to golden bronze-colored leaves whereas         plants of the parent selection have green-colored leaves.

Plants of the new Ternstroemia can be compared to the plants of Ternstroemia gymnanthera ‘Variegata’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Seneca, S.C., plants of the new Ternstroemia differed from plants of ‘Variegata’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Ternstroemia were more compact than and not         as upright as plants of ‘Variegata’.     -   2. Plants of the new Ternstroemia were denser than and not as         open as plants of ‘Variegata’.     -   3. During the spring and summer, plants of the new Ternstroemia         had bright yellow to golden bronze-colored leaves whereas plants         of ‘Variegata’ had green, gray and cream-colored leaves tinged         with pink.

Plants of the new Ternstroemia can be compared to the plants of Ternstroemia gymnanthera ‘Conthery’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,735. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Seneca, S.C., plants of the new Ternstroemia differed from plants of ‘Conthery’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Ternstroemia were more compact than and not         as upright as plants of ‘Conthery’.     -   2. Plants of the new Ternstroemia were not as vigorous as plants         of ‘Conthery’.     -   3. During the spring and summer, plants of the new Ternstroemia         had bright yellow to golden bronze-colored leaves whereas plants         of ‘Conthery’ had reddish bronze leaves that changed to green in         the late summer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Ternstroemia. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Ternstroemia.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘HOHB’ grown in an outdoor nursery.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical leaves of ‘HOHB’.

The photograph on the third sheet is a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘HOHB’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the summer in Seneca, S.C. in an outdoor nursery and under commercial production conditions. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 26° C. to 40° C. and night temperatures ranged from 16° C. to 35° C. Plants used for the photographs and description had been growing for seven years. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Ternstroemia gymnanthera ‘HOHB’. -   Parentage: Self-pollination of an unnamed selection of Ternstroemia     gymnanthera, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By semi-hardwood and hardwood cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 30 to 45 days at             temperatures of 26° C. to 38° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 60 to 70 days at             temperatures of 16° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 80 to 90             days at temperatures of 26° C. to 38° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 120 to             150 days at temperatures of 16° C. to 21° C.         -   Root description.—Medium to coarse, moderately fibrous;             close to 172D in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial evergreen shrub;             compact upright and outwardly spreading plant form;             uniformly mounded habit; moderately vigorous.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit; dense and bushy             growh habit with numerous lateral branches developing per             plant.         -   Plant height.—About 1 meters to 1.4 meters.         -   Plant diameter, area of spread.—About 1.2 meters to 1.5             meters.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 2.5 cm to 33 cm.             Diameter: About 1.7 mm to 3.5 mm. Internode length: About             2.5 mm to 21.5 mm. Strength: Strong, flexible. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color, young stems: Close to N144B. Color,             mature stems: Close to 199C.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 3.5 cm to 6.5 cm. Width: About 1.25 cm to 2.1 cm.             Shape: Narrowly elliptic. Apex: Retuse. Base: Cuneate.             Margin: Entire. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; waxy. Color:             Developing leaves, upper surface: Initially close to N172B             becoming close to 163A. Developing leaves, lower surface:             Close to 145C. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close             to 12A becoming close to N144C; venation, close to N172B. In             the autumn, color becomes closer to 12A to N144B. Leaf color             of plants growing in the shade will be closer to 137A. Fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 145C; venation,             close to N172D. Petiole: Length: About 3.2 mm to 6.5 mm.             Diameter: About 1.1 mm to 2.6 mm. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; waxy. Color, upper surface:             Between 47A and 46A. Color, lower surface: Close to 47A to             47C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and appearance.—Single inconspicuous             cupped flowers; flowers axillary. Freely flowering habit;             about one to three flowers per lateral branch.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Ternstroemia             typically flower during May and June in South Carolina.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last two to three days             on the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Fragrance.—Faint.         -   Flower diameter.—About 8 mm to 12 mm.         -   Flower depth.—About 5 mm to 8 mm.         -   Flower bud.—Length: About 4 mm to 5 mm. Diameter: About 4 mm             to 5 mm. Shape: Globular. Color: Close to 157D.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five imbricate petals             fused at the base. Length: About 4 mm to 5 mm. Width: About             4 mm to 5 mm. Shape: Obtuse. Apex: Rounded. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; waxy.             Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close             to 157D. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close             to 157D.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Five fused in a single whorl. Length:             About 2 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; waxy. Color: Immature, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to 157D. Mature, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             157D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.5 mm to 2.5 mm. Diameter: About             0.7 mm to 1.9 mm. Angle: About 45° to 80° from lateral             branch axis. Strength: Strong, flexible. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous; waxy. Color: Close to 157D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:             About 30 to 40. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length: About             2 mm. Anther color: Close to 4C. Pollen amount: Abundant.             Pollen color: Close to 4C. Gynoecium: Pistil length: About             3 mm. Stigma shape: Bi-lobed. Stigma color: Close to 149D.             Style length: About 1 mm. Style color: Close to 157D. Ovary             color: Close to 157D.         -   Fruits.—Quantity per lateral branch: About nine to twelve.             Length: About 1 cm to 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 9 mm to 11 mm.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 145C; with             development, close to 47C.         -   Seeds.—Length: About 0.3 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm to 6 mm.             Color: Close to 34C. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Ternstroemia have been     observed to have good garden performance and to be tolerant to rain,     wind and temperatures ranging from about −25° C. to about 40° C. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants have not been observed to be     resistant to pathogens and pests common to Ternstroemia. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Ternstroemia plant named ‘HOHB’ as illustrated and described. 